Universal bottle dispensing cap

ABSTRACT

The invention includes an assembly for dispensing liquid having an inlet configured to receive liquid from a bottle, at least two attachment means, a first attachment having a first fixed diameter and a second attachment having a second fixed diameter, and an outlet for dispensing liquid passing through said assembly.

INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional of and claims benefit to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/807,175, filed Apr. 1, 2013the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the general field of Cap and ClosurePackaging and Baby Bottle Nipple and Sippy Cup systems. It is moreparticularly related to having a multi threaded cap and nipple or“sippy” top that fits standard 28 mm water and soda bottles as well asstandard 20 fl oz drink bottles.

2. Prior Art

There are few prior arts that utilize a bottle cap fit and a baby bottlenipple as a closure to fit the standard bottle orifice, usually 28 mm.There is no prior art known to me that utilizes a bottle cap fit and ababy bottle nipple as a closure to fit larger drink bottles, usuallyholding 20 fl oz. There is no prior art known to me that utilizes abottle cap fit and sippy cup nipple as a closure for either standardbottles, usually 28 mm, or larger drink bottles, usually 20 fl oz. Themost similar prior art found in patent searches is the Baby Bottle CapUS 2001/0035387 A1. The Baby Bottle Cap and the Baby Bottle Multi Capare similar in that they both offer a nipple already built into the capthat readily adapts to various 28 mm bottles into a baby bottle. TheBaby Bottle Multi Cap differs in that it also fits standard 20 fl ozbottles in both the nipple cap and sippy cup cap versions. Thisminimizes limitations to the type of bottle that are readily availableto use as a baby bottle or sippy cup.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventive Bottle Multi Cap has two versions. One is used to convertmost any bottle into a baby bottle. The second one is used to convertmost any bottle into a sippy cup. It is an object of this invention toprovide an apparatus to allow both babies and toddlers to utilizestandard and larger plastic drink bottles as a baby bottle or sippy cup.The present invention works by using multiple threaded caps that fit theoriginal bottle, standard bottles, and larger opening bottles integratedinto a baby bottle nipple or sippy cup version.

In one embodiment, the present invention is an assembly for dispensingliquid comprising:

-   an inlet configured to receive liquid from a bottle;-   at least two attachment means, a first attachment having a first    fixed diameter and a second attachment having a second fixed    diameter;-   an outlet for dispensing liquid passing through said assembly.

In one embodiment, each of first attachment means are screw threads andsaid second attachment are screw threads.

In another embodiment, each of first attachment means are members thatprovide a snap-fit attachment to a bottle and second attachment aremembers that provide a snap-fit attachment to a bottle.

In another embodiment, the attachments means contain both screw threadsand snap fit members.

In one embodiment, the assembly further comprises a third attachmentmeans having a fixed diameter different from each of said firstattachment means and said second attachment means. The third attachmentmeans is either screw threads or snap fit members.

In one embodiment the outlet is fixedly attached to said assembly.

In one embodiment the outlet is removably attached to said assembly.

The assembly outlet is a bottle nipple, sippy dispenser, or sport bottledispenser.

The present invention also includes a method of dispensing drinkingsolution from a bottle, said method comprising the steps of:

-   providing an assembly according to any embodiment of the present    invention;-   providing a liquid storage bottle;-   placing liquid in said bottle; selecting an attachment means    configured to mate and attach with the provided bottle; and-   attaching the assembly to the bottle with the selected attachment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the cap of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the cap thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a side-separated view of components of one embodiment of thecap present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side partial cross-section view of the present invention inan environment of use.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the present invention in an environment of use.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the presentinvention in an environment of use.

FIG. 7 is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 9 is a side-separated view of components of one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 10 is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the presentinvention

FIG. 12 is a side separate view of components of one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 13 is a side cross-section view of one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 14 is a side cross-section view of one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 15 is a side cross-section view of one embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In one embodiment, cap assembly 200 includes cap base 10 having a fixedthereto gasket bottle interface 12. Opposite gasket bio interface 12 onthe upper portion of the assembly is valve 16. Valve 16 is any valve asknown in the art relating to the dispensing of drinking liquids. Theseinclude, but are not limited to, sports valve caps as are known in theart.

In one embodiment, cap assembly 300 is formed with a first set of bottlereceiving threads 18 a second set of threads being cap threads 20 and athird set of threads being first small bottle threads 22.

In some embodiments, cap assembly 400 is utilizing one particulardispensing cap 14, dispenser cap 14 will interact with second or capthreads 20. Further, according to the present invention assemblyattaches to a liquid container 24 by virtue of the interaction withsmall bottle threads 22.

In another embodiment, cap assembly 500 is used with a liquid container26 that has a different configuration on its neck, the first set ofbottle receiving threads 18 will interact with liquid container 26.

As can be seen by the differences in FIGS. 4 and 6, a single capassembly either 500 or 700 is provided to interact and mate with aplurality of bottle dispensing necks having differing diameters.

In an embodiment assembly 800 demonstrated in FIG. 7 and assembly 900 ofFIG. 8, cap assembly has affixed thereto a sipper dispenser 30 for usewith the present invention. When the sipper configuration is utilized,the assembly further contemplates an assembly 1000 having a closing cap28 that will cover sipper dispenser 30. It is further contemplated thatthe assembly closing cap 28 securely attach an affix to the assembly byany acceptable means including, but not limited to, a snap fit securingrelationship.

Additionally, one embodiment present invention provides the assembly1100 having a nipple dispenser 32 as is commonly known and used withbaby bottles. Assembly 1200 is an embodiment demonstrative of internalthreads of differing diameters for attachment to screw-threaded bottles.Assembly 1300 is similar as described above in that the assemblyincludes assembly-closing cap 28.

In one embodiment, as demonstrated in FIGS. 13-15, the cap assembly hasthree internal threaded portions each encompassing a different diameterand configured for attachment on many bottle sizes. The followingexample is illustrative only as any contemplated diameters are possible.First threads 22 are configured as 22 mm threads, second threads 18 areconfigured as any of 24-20 mm threads, and third threads 40 areconfigured as 42 mm threads. Thus, a single cap assembly attaches tomultiple bottle sizes.

As generally understood, bottles are typically threaded and capped attheir open end. The diameter of the open end varies. The subjectinvention addresses the need to provide a single apparatus for use withmultiple bottle sizes by configuring an apparatus with multiple diameterattachments. In providing an apparatus according to the currentinvention, the user can remove the cap of the desired bottle, match upthe closure/attachment from the apparatus that corresponds to thediameter of the bottle, and secure the apparatus onto the bottle. In oneembodiment, two or more internal threaded regions are provided and auser will mate the apparatus onto the bottle using a selected threadedportion corresponding to the bottle threads.

In one embodiment, the apparatus contains two or more closure meanshaving members configured to attach to the bottle in a snap-fitattachment.

In the embodiment whereby the closure is a screw thread, the increasecan be a gradual continuous increase in diameter, a step-wise increasein diameter, or a combination thereof.

The various outlets of the apparatus, in one embodiment, are fixedlyattached to the apparatus.

In one embodiment, the outlets are removably and interchangeable asdesired.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form orembodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that thisdescription has been given only by way of example and that numerouschanges in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, includingthe combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. An assembly for dispensing liquid comprising: an inletconfigured to receive liquid from a bottle; at least two attachmentmeans, a first attachment having a first fixed diameter and a secondattachment having a second fixed diameter; an outlet for dispensingliquid passing through said assembly.
 2. The assembly of claim 1 whereinsaid first attachment means are screw threads and said second attachmentare screw threads.
 3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said firstattachment means are members that provide a snap-fit attachment to abottle and said second attachment are members that provide a snap-fitattachment to a bottle.
 4. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising athird attachment means having a fixed diameter different from each ofsaid first attachment means and said second attachment means.
 5. Theassembly of claim 1 wherein the outlet is fixedly attached to saidassembly.
 6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the outlet is removablyattached to said assembly.
 7. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the outletis a bottle nipple, sippy dispenser, or sport bottle dispenser.
 8. Theassembly of claim 6 wherein the outlet is a bottle nipple, sippydispenser, or sport bottle dispenser.
 9. A method of dispensing drinkingsolution from a bottle, said method comprising the steps of: providingan assembly according to claim 1; providing a liquid storage bottle;placing liquid in said bottle; selecting an attachment means configuredto mate and attach with the provided bottle; and attaching the assemblyto the bottle with the selected attachment.